Mothers in North Carolina have the right to breastfeed in public (NC Gen. Stat. §14-190.9 (1993)), which includes inside a restaurant. In North Carolina, breastfeeding mothers are exempt from indecent exposure laws.
North Carolina does not have any state legislation to protect and support breastfeeding mothers in the workplace. Mothers in North Carolina are protected by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) if they are a non-exempt (hourly) employee. Under this federal mandate, breastfeeding mothers are entitled to reasonable break time and a private space (other than a bathroom) to pump at work for one year following their child’s birth. North Carolina also offers a free resource toolkit to help breastfeeding mothers return to work.
